Rapper Tory Lanez files $100 million lawsuit after prison attack

Tory Lanez has filed a federal lawsuit against California’s prison system, alleging he was wrongly housed with a violent inmate who later stabbed him 16 times in a life-threatening attack.

The 33-year-old artist, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, is seeking $100 million in damages from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as well as prison officials at the facility in Tehachapi where the incident occurred, as per Associated Press.

According to the lawsuit, Lanez was attacked on May 12, 2025, by fellow inmate Santino Casio, who allegedly used a homemade weapon to stab him in the back, torso, head, and face. The filing describes the assault as “unprovoked” and states that Lanez suffered a collapsed lung and required emergency airlift to a hospital.

Casio, who is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder, had a documented history of violent offences, including prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and manufacturing weapons while incarcerated.

“The choice to house Casio with Peterson was known or should have been a known danger,” the lawsuit states. It further alleges that correctional officers responded slowly to the attack and failed to deploy available measures, such as flash grenades or smoke devices, to stop the assault. The complaint also argues that Lanez’s high-profile status increased his vulnerability and should have been taken into account.

There is no record indicating that Casio has been charged in connection with the stabbing.

Lanez has since been transferred to another facility in San Luis Obispo County. The lawsuit also accuses prison authorities of unlawfully seizing his songbooks containing unpublished material of significant commercial value and refusing to return them.

A spokesperson for the corrections department declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.

Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence following his 2022 conviction for shooting Megan Thee Stallion. A court rejected his appeal in November.

By Tamilla Hasanova